Hello there. Ever feel like your most creative thoughts happen in the shower? You’re not imagining it! Many people are more likely to have plentiful Earth-bending, humanity-saving thoughts in the shower, thanks to the shower’s conditions that give the brain more dopamine and fewer distractions.

So, we think the answer to the world’s conundrums is pretty obvious: Everyone hop in the shower, lather up, and get thinkin’!

Today’s reading time is 3.5 minutes.

PERMACULTURE

How This Man Turned Undesirable Land Into A Natural Pool

Ever wished you had a super cute, swimmable backyard pond that doubled as a wildlife haven? David Pagan Butler did, so he went ahead and created one (see below).

Thankfully, he also shared the process and beautiful results on YouTube for the rest of us to enjoy. Since then, his channel has shared over 150 videos with tips and info for anyone who wants to create their own organic backyard pool.

This idea has been implemented all over the world, with varying degrees of success. What seems to help reduce maintenance needs is proper understanding of the local land and natural systems, and planning ahead to make sure the pool is built in a way that optimizes natural cleaning and hygienic systems.

Would you swim in a natural pool?

EVENT WATCH

Keystone Conversations from Verge Permaculture

Highlighting permaculture and regenerative agriculture thought leaders, the Keystone Conversations webinar series from our partners at Verge Permaculture is sure to deepen your understanding of permaculture and provide fresh inspiration for your permaculture and regenerative journey.

Featuring discussions with:

• September 30: Justin Rhodes of Abundance Permaculture
• October 12: Dan Halsey of United Designers
• October 25: Finian Makepeace of Kiss the Ground

Reserve your spot

BUSINESS

Why Accounting for Planetary Boundaries Can Help Businesses Be More Antifragile

A woman analyzes a financial line graph. Photo by Monstera.

Our planet is enormous and full of resources, but it does still have limits. And, as the population increases, so does the demand for those resources.

That’s why, in a world that is largely fueled by for-profit businesses, it’s smart for those businesses to account for planetary boundaries when developing plans for the future—doing so can help them be more antifragile.

Systems connect

One of the best things about the Earth is that its parts and systems connect in many ways. All five Earth systems are complex, interconnected, and dependent on each other.

But that also means that if one system fails, the others will, too.

So businesses that rely on natural resources are going to start to really feel the crunch if that resource is suddenly hard to come by or restricted.

3 business benefits

Addressing the interrelated nature of these systems and creating business models and strategies that align with Earth systems and limits, while sometimes challenging, is necessary and can be highly beneficial.

This approach can help organizations be more antifragile in three main ways:

1. Identify and reduce nature-based risks
2. Align with sustainability trends that are relevant to consumers
3. Ensure that necessary raw materials are sustainable and available

A framework for long-term success

Luckily, an international group of researchers at the Stockholm Resilience Centre developed a new idea in 2009—the Planetary Boundaries framework.

The Planetary Boundaries framework, from Stockholm Resilience Centre.

This concept outlines nine limits of the Earth’s systems and how much wiggle room we have before each would become strained or surpassed—a crucial bundle of data for companies that wish to plan ahead.

• As Quantis put it, “the planetary boundaries concept offers a holistic framework for businesses to evaluate their exposure to nature-related risks and guide decision-making.”

Sustainable business growth

More than just a strategy for meeting environmental targets and mandates, it makes good business sense to align with current trends in sustainability and plan ahead to reduce risk by taking a planetary boundaries approach.

HOUSING

How This Housing + Farming Development Is Solving Several Issues At Once

Rendering of what the space could look like. Image courtesy of Thornbury Acres.

Homesteading just became a lot more accessible!

An exciting new cooperative living and farming development project, just two hours from Toronto (Canada’s most populous city), is in the works. This forward-thinking project will

• Help families create a sustainable farming and homesteading life
• Offer residents a built-in community of like-minded people

The set-up

Each household will have a plot of land to personalize with crops of their choice and (of course!) a house to call their own, while maintaining access to community farm assets.

• Communal orchards, berry patches, fruit and veggies, rotating seasonal crop zones, beehives, and more

Plus, the land is legally protected from being developed into another standard suburb in the future.

Map of the Thornbury Acres plan. Image courtesy of Thornbury Acres.

Extra dough

Revenue-producing farmers markets, corn mazes, and other attractions will take place on the farm to help residents earn some extra cash.

Bushels of support

Ideally, community members will be able to support one another, share financial responsibility and the workload.

Residents can also receive support for sustainability practices and business success from:

• The farm manager
• Two interns
• The co-op board

This project is in planning stages at the moment, but is already setting a smart tone by hosting community discussions and open houses to discuss building plans with community stakeholders.

Discover more about the project

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Written by April Jordan, Kat Hodgins and Amanda Marriott.

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